Venue Of The Month: The Gallivant, East Sussex

Why book?

The Gallivant is less a hotel and more a private retreat on the coast. One of only a select few UK properties to receive an inaugural Michelin Key in 2024 (retained in 2025), it sets a remarkable standard. Couples who marry here take full ownership of the house, wild gardens, terraces and all stylish indoor spaces, welcoming up to 80 guests for a wedding weekend.

Just a few steps away lies Camber Sands, one of England’s most photogenic beaches, an ideal backdrop for golden-hour portraits or an afternoon stroll à deux. Couples can shape each day to their own rhythm: leisurely brunches with English sparkling wine, afternoon treatments at The Beach Hut spa, and candlelit dinners in the Cabin at Harry’s – a wedding weekend that unfolds at your pace, in your style, set against the sea air.

Set the scene

Only an hour from London by train, The Gallivant sits behind three miles of rolling golden dunes, at the heart of East Sussex’s Garden of England. Interiors are Hamptons-inspired, with driftwood touches, airy palettes, and eclectic details from design mastermind Sigrid Cragoe. Every corner, from the Sitting Room to the Snug and coastal terraces, feels thoughtful and stylish. Guests wander between plush rooms, pause for 4pm cake, pull on complimentary Hunter wellies and explore the dunes, or head into nearby Rye for a mooch around its medieval streets and independent shops.

The Gallivant is a venue designed for a weekend-long celebration: a candlelit rehearsal dinner on the terrace, sunset drinks among the dunes, a wedding day centred on a Summer Room ceremony and a long, French-led feast at Harry’s, and finally early-morning yoga and a bracing wild swim, wrapped in Finisterre towelling robes.

Event spaces

Ceremonies take place in the light-filled Summer Room, a soft, neutral space dressed in linen and seasonal arrangements of garden roses, meadow flowers and foraged foliage, with capacity for up to 80 guests. From there, celebrations spill naturally onto the terraces, gardens and the dunes themselves, while Harry’s restaurant, the cosy Sitting Room and private dining in the Cabin provide flexible indoor options as the evening draws in.

Crucially, events here are run by The Gallivant’s long-standing in-house team – from planners and chefs to the hotel’s Head of Happiness – ensuring a deeply considered experience that feels very much your own. Oyster stations, late-night drinks trolleys, live piano sets or guided dune walks are all easily arranged through the venue’s trusted network.

Food and drink

Food is a cornerstone of a wedding at the Gallivant. Head Chef Matthew Harris, ex-Chef Director of Bibendum and brother of Matthew Harris of Bouchon Racine, oversees Harry’s restaurant, whose brasserie-style menus are classical and seasonal and celebrated (think Michelin Guide recognition). Here you have extraordinary wedding food: expect generous canapés, oysters on ice and relaxed sharing platters. English sparkling wine flows freely – Oxney Organic is a standout – alongside famed house cocktails.

Accommodation

All 20 bedrooms and suites are individually styled in beechwood neutrals, sea-foam blues and coral accents, with cosy corners and playful design details like framed vintage swimsuits. Nearby partner cottages offer flexibility for larger wedding parties, but for the newlyweds, the Luxury Garden Room is the prize: a super king bed, freestanding bath, walk-in rainfall shower and a semi-private deck opening directly onto the coastal garden. Guests staying on-site are treated to a host of thoughtful touches: Egyptian cotton linens, sleepy-time tea by the bed and a well-stocked larder.

Eco credentials

Sustainability at The Gallivant is woven into the fabric of the hotel. The kitchen leads with seasonal menus built around local farmers, foragers and Rye Bay fishermen, alongside a near-zero-waste philosophy that champions whole-animal and whole-plant cooking. Single-use plastics are absent, Bramley toiletries are refillable and natural, non-toxic cleaning products are used throughout. Outside, dune-backed gardens are planted to support biodiversity and pollinators. And on the first Tuesday of every month, owner Harry Cragoe leads a volunteer beach clean – a simple, hands-on commitment to protecting the coastline that defines the hotel.

The story

The Gallivant is the result of Harry and Sigrid Cragoe’s determination to reimagine the British seaside. In 2010, the couple transformed a modest Camber Sands hotel into a design-led coastal retreat inspired by California’s laid-back beach culture and a shared belief that good food, thoughtful design and genuine hospitality are non-negotiable. Harry’s focus on seasonal, produce-driven cooking and Sigrid’s film-and-design-trained eye shape every detail, from the interiors to the regenerative menus. Awards and Michelin recognition have followed, but the Cragoes’ greatest achievement is bringing their mantra to life: happiness is a place.